


Stay Hydrated, Kids

by MeanderingMotivation



Series: The Mom Friend [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Bounty Hunting, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Gladiolus and Noctis are reckless, Ignis is Mom Friend™, Ignis is practically perfect in every way, Prompto is clumsy, Sharing Water
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-04
Updated: 2017-10-04
Packaged: 2019-01-08 23:17:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12264108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeanderingMotivation/pseuds/MeanderingMotivation
Summary: Staying hydrated is very important to Ignis.





	Stay Hydrated, Kids

**Author's Note:**

> Remember to drink water during the day guys.

 

* * *

 

 

They’d been running around Leide for most of the day, completing hunt after hunt and lugging evidence of their bounty around with them. Dust and sand had coated their clothes in their skirmishes, and even Ignis had given up on staying tidy at this point. It was a lost cause, considering how often they were being confronted by beasts.

If they hadn’t been running so low on gil, they would have concluded their hunt hours ago. As it was, their latest misadventure had resulted in substantial damage to the Regalia, and most of their savings had gone towards repairs. Cindy may have been friendly enough, but she had no intention of giving them discounts due to their stations.

Still, she’d allowed them to stay in the caravan a few nights free of charge, which was nice. But they couldn’t live on her charity forever. They needed gil for potions and ingredients. There was only so much Ignis could do with what remained of their inventory, as well. Astrals forbid he feed the group beans or flame roasted toast…

“Imperials above us!” Prompto called in warning, and Noctis moaned in annoyance, wiping his sweaty brow as he pulled his engine blade from the corpse of a sabertusk.

“Seriously? _Again_?”

Before Prompto had a chance to give a sardonic response, the dropship was hovering over them, its considerable bulk leaving them in dark shadow as MT’s dropped to the ground in a neat mechanical bundle. Their red eyes glowed, and the group raised their weapons, eager to quickly dispose of them and move on.

There was a flash of shimmering blue, before Noctis re-appeared some feet away, his blade buried in the chest of one of the MT’s. He ripped it away mercilessly, moving onto the next MT before the current one had even finished smoking. Gladiolus followed suit, likely perturbed that Noctis had already taken his first kill, and Prompto fell back, content to pick them off one by one. Ignis drew his daggers, and forewent a forward attack for a back one, and soon enough the former MT’s were a pile of broken machinery and black ooze.

And the four males were even more exhausted than before, despite the relative ease in which they had defeated their foes. Even Gladiolus was worn down at this point, and his impressive stamina easily matched Cor’s.

“Tell me again why we couldn’t rent some birds?” Prompto whined, leaning against the prince as his body seemingly gave out with tiredness. It was a dramatic display, and they all knew the blond would be supporting himself again soon enough. “If we forked out the gil, we could have been back at Hammerhead by now.”

“We need to preserve what little we have.” Ignis replied, not for the first time. Prompto had been voicing that same complaint ever since they had set out at dawn that morning. Although by now, Ignis was beginning to think he should have listened to the blond’s pleading. With all of the bounties they had completed, they could have afforded the fare of chocobos. “Come, let us keep moving. We need to reach Hammerhead before sundown.”

Prompto and Noctis grumbled at his prodding, but followed along nevertheless. The party began steadily trudging towards Hammerhead, but Ignis paused for a moment, reaching into the armiger and pulling out a large canteen of water. The sound of the liquid sloshing inside had all three of the men stopping, and turning back with wistful eyes. Despite Ignis’s cautions against wasting water, Noctis and Gladiolus had been splashing themselves with it all day, and Prompto had spilled most of his by accident after getting distracted snapping photographs.

And since the terrain surrounding Hammerhead was so dry, they hadn’t had the chance to replenish their respective canteens.

Not Ignis, though. He took small, measured sips throughout the day, just enough to keep himself barely hydrated. It took a great deal of self-discipline. They were getting closer to Hammerhead now, he could have finally taken a long gulp to sooth his dry throat…

But he hadn’t refrained from drinking his water for so long to fall prey to greed. He had a better reason for being so frugal.

And the reasons were standing before him, throats bobbing and eyes watching the canteen yearningly. Even Gladiolus looked somewhat pathetic.

Ignis spared them a small smile, and held out the canteen to Noctis, who had been the first to run out of water. The prince didn’t even hesitate, lurching forward to grasp the canteen and pull off the lid. He tipped it back, gulping the water down desperately. Ignis sighed, and carefully pried it away a moment later. “You’ll make yourself ill.” He warned, when Noctis shot him a pouty glare. “And you need to share, Highness.” He looked pointedly to the envious forms of Gladiolus and Prompto, and the prince turned sheepish in realisation.

“Sorry.” He murmured, and offered the canteen next to Gladiolus, who shook his head firmly and pushed it towards Prompto instead.

“Kid looks ready to fall in a heap.” He grunted in explanation, and Ignis gave him a knowing look. The shield may have been gruff in his methods, but he cared for the two younger males just as much as Ignis, and always put them before himself.

“You sure?” Prompto asked the shield hesitantly. He was always so reluctant to accept charity, especially when it was extended by his friends. It made him feel like a burden.

“Just don’t drink all of it, okay? Your skinny body doesn’t need that much moisture. You’ll be needing to piss every ten minutes.” Gladiolus teased.

As always, the light ribbing distracted Prompto from his self-esteem issues, and he accepted the bottle and took a few evenly-paced sips. He didn’t attempt to drain the whole thing like Noctis, although he was still reluctant to part with it. He held onto it a few moments too long when Gladiolus offered his hand, but he relinquished it nonetheless with an abashed blush.

Gladiolus was the one out of the three who needed the water most, having been the one to carry various body parts of their bounties around in a large duffle all day. He didn’t trust Noctis to store them in the armiger, and had also refused to share the burden, citing his sizeable muscles as evidence of his capability. He’d also been the one to slay one of their more difficult bounties that day, and he hadn’t stopped once to rest like the others.

This, of course, was ill-advised. Ignis constantly tried reminding Gladiolus of his own health, but the shield was just too stubborn. He was always determined to do all of the heavy lifting himself. It was probably due to his upbringing. Ignis could remember Clarus being similar, although not quite as foolhardy as his heir.

Three sips, and the canteen was thrust back at Ignis sternly. “Now you drink.” The shield ordered, and he frowned when Ignis raised his eyebrows at the demanding tone. “Don’t look at me like that, Iggy. That canteen was almost full, which means you haven’t been drinking water all day.”

“What?” Noctis blinked in realisation, and then glared at his advisor. “Iggy, you don’t have to hold back just for us. We aren’t little kids, we can go without a little water.”

“Your health is just as important.” Prompto contributed adamantly. “Man, now I feel bad…”

Ignis rolled his eyes at Prompto’s guilt complex. “There is no need for regret, Prompto. Unlike you three I know how to pace myself, and I’m sensible enough to drink only when absolutely necessary. I don’t require as much water.”

“That makes like, zero sense.” Prompto pointed out, and Noctis nodded in agreement.

Gladiolus shook his head in disapproval, but ultimately decided pressing the matter was useless. Ignis, for all his professed wisdom, could be just as stubborn as he was when it came to caring for the prince and his friend. Arguing was pointless, and would only lead to them fighting daemons on their way back to Hammerhead due to the sun setting. “Come on, sunset is rapidly approaching, and you two will be liabilities in the dark at this rate.”

“And you won’t?” Noctis challenged. “You’re just as tired as the rest of us-“

“Gladio is right, Highness.” Ignis cut in curtly, tucking the canteen away as he recommenced his walking. His pace was brisker than before, and Prompto hastened to follow. “We don’t have the time to be squabbling. You can criticise my foresight later, if you wish.”

“You smarmy-“

“THANK YOU!” Prompto practically yelled, and Ignis jolted in surprise at the sheer volume of his shout.

Gladiolus pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. “Prompto, you just drew the attention of every goddamned-“

“Thank you.” Noctis repeated, quieter. He looked at his advisor gratefully. “For looking out for us, even if it’s at the cost of your own comfort. I wish you wouldn’t, but…”

“Iggy’s gonna Igg.” Prompto cut in, in a bright chirp. “The Mom Friend strikes again!”

Ignis thinned his lips in distaste at the title. “I am _not_ the Mum friend. I merely believe that drinking water and staying hydrated is incredibly important.”

“Yeah, sure.” Noctis snorted. “Whatever you say, _Mom.”_

“For the love of-“

“ENEMIES TO THE RIGHT!”

Ignis sighed. Perhaps it would have been wiser to let them go thirsty.

Yet, he still insisted they drink another few mouthfuls after they’d finished dispatching the horde of sabertusks Prompto had summoned with his shouting.

Staying hydrated was very important, after all.

 

* * *

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you derived some form of entertainment from this. No pressure though. :)


End file.
